Fountain pen



Sept. 5, 1950 J. v. DEARMAN FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Feb. 4, 194e Patented Sept. '5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN James V. Dearman, Hollywood, Calif.

Application February 4, 1946, Serial No. 645,266

(Cl. 1Z0-42.16)

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to Writing or marking devices, and particularly to fountain pens of a type employing a, ball point and a reservoir for supplying writing uid to said ball point.

Fountain pens provided with a ball point and a reservoir, for containing a supply of ink paste and adapted to supply the paste to the ball point, have recently been used with some degree of success. However, it has been found that when ink paste is employed as the writing medium, it is necessary to provide means for forcibly feeding the paste from the reservoir in arder to main tain an 'adequate supply adjacent said ball point, and such feeding means are not only complicated in construction, expensive to make and assemble, but are subject to breakage or getting out of order. Moreover, such feeding devices are usually manually operated oir periodically adjusted to contr-o1 the feeding of the paste to the ball point, and if this operation is neglected the pen will run zdry, thus rendering the pen inoperative until the ow of paste is again effected.

I have determined that ink of a free flowing, relatively high viscosity provides an especially efficient and desirable writing or marking medium, inasmuch as such ink will flow freely under the influence of gravity without leaking from the tip end of the pen. Since such ink is vadapted to flow under the action of gravity, it is unnecessary to provide mechanical ink-feeding means. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a fountain pen having a reservoir adapted to contain a supply of ink of relatively high viscosity and a ball point to which the ink flows under the influence of gravity to be applied to the paper r other writing surface.

Another object is to provide a fountain pen 0f the type referred to in which the 'reservoir comprises a tubular cartridge adapted to contain the ink and to be readily inserted into and removed from the pen body or shell.

Another lobject is to provide a fountain pen, of the type referred to, having means for venting the reservoir and passages through which the ink flows whereby to avoid air traps which would prevent proper ink ow.

Another and important object is to provide a fountain pen, of the type referred to, which is provided with an auxiliary reservoir arranged in the type referred to, which is of relatively simple construction, devoid of mechanical ink-feeding devices, or other moving parts, and one which is highly efficient in performing its intended function.

Further objects of my invention are set forth in the following specification, which describes two embodiments thereof, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the improved fountain pen, showing it in writing position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tip end of the pen, illustrating the manner in which ink is retained in an auxiliary reservoir when the pen is inverted from writing position;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of my improved pen, showing the pen in writing position; and,

Fig. 4 is 'a longitudinal sectional view of the tip end of the pen shown in Fig. 3, and illustrating the pen in inverted position.

The improved fountain pen comprises, in general, a casing or shell, a tubular tip member secured to said shell and rotatably supporting a ball point, a tubular member connected to said tip member, a cartridge reservoir connected to said tubular member Within said shell for containing a supply of ink of relatively high viscosity, said ink being adapted to flow from said reservoir through said tubular member to said tip member under the influence of gravity when the pen is held in writing position, a reduced portion formed integral with said tubular member and extending into said tip, said reduced portion cooperating with the interior of the tubular tip member to provide an annular auxiliary reservoir into which ink ows from said cartridge reservoir, and said auxiliary reservoir being adapted to retain a quantity of ink within said tip when the pen is inverted from writing position whereby to immediately supply ink to the ball point when the pen is returned to writing position.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, one embodiment of my improved fountain pen comprises a casing or shell 5, preferably of cylindrical form and having a tapered portion 6 terminating in a round closed end l. The shell 5 has internal screw threads at its open end to adapt the shell to receive the reduced threaded portion 8 of a tubular intermediate member l of substantially frusta-conical form. The member I0 has a bore Il which is screw-threaded throughout the greater part of its length and provided with a wall I2 at its small end. The wall I2 has an axial aperture adapted to receive the reduced tubular portion I4 of a tip member I5. The tip member I5 has a substantially semi-spherical recess or socket I6 in its outer end adapted to receive a hardened metal ball I'I, which constitutes the pen point, the ball being rotatably retained in the socket by spinning the side walls of the recess thereagainst. The tip member I5 is provided with an axial bore I8, which is reduced slightly in diameter toward its outer end. One or more small holes or ports I9 are provided in the annular wall of the reduced tubular lportion I4 for a purpose to be later explained. Between the outer periphery of the tubular portion I4 and the bore II of the intermediate member IIJ is an annular space 26 constituting an auxiliary ink reservoir.

A tubular conduit member has an externally screw-threaded portion 2I` adapted to be screwed into the screw-threaded bore II of the intermediate member I8, said member 28 having a peripheral flange 22 adapted to labut the inner end of the member Ill. The inner end 23 of the member 28 is reduced in diameter and this end is externally screw-threaded. The conduit member 28 is provided with an axial bore 24 whichis enlarged in diameter at its outer end,.as indicated at 25, to adapt it to receive the inner tabular portion I 4 ofthe tip member I5.

A tubular reservoir member 2 has an axial bore 28 constituting a reservoir and is provided with internal screw threads at one end to adapt it to be screwed onto the inner end 23 of the conduit member 29. The inner end of the reservoir member 23 may be closed by any suitable means such as a plug 29, and preferably the plug is provided with a one-way valve 30`comprising a port 3| in which a ball 32 is slidably arranged and normally forced outwardly into engagement with a shoulder 33 by means of a coil spring 34 pocketed within the port. The valve 30 functions to permit ingress of air into the reservoir 28 to replace ink used during writing and to prevent suction in said reservoir which would prevent proper flow of ink to the ball point.

When the fountain pen is not in use, its tip` end may be protected by a tubular cap member 35 having a substantially conical end 36 adapted to enclose the tip end when the cap is slid there-- over as-shown in Fig. 2. The cap 35 may be provided with a usual clip 3I and with a groove 33 in its interior, in which is held a ring 39v made from cork or other compressible friction material and adapted to grip the exterior of the shell 5 to retain the cap in place thereon. The improved fountain pen having been described in detail, its method of operation will next be explained.

To ll the fountain pen with a supply of ink,

the cap member 35 is first removed from the'shell 5 and the shell then unscrewed from theinter'- mediate member I0; The reservoir member 2'I is` next unscrewed from the conduit member 2! and its interior or bore 28 filled with a supply' of ink of relatively highl viscosity. The reservoir member 2l' may be supplied as aY refill cartridge containing enoughink to last several months'runder ordinary use, yand in this casel the cartridge would have a removable and disposable closure covering its open end. The conduit member 29 is next screwed into the open end ofthe reservoir member 2'! and the shell 5 finally replaced by .screwing it onto the threaded end` of the intermediate member III.

When the fountain pen is held in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the relatively thick ink will flow downwardly from the reservoir 28 through the bore 24 of the conduit member 20, and thence through the bore I8 of the tip member I5 into contact with the ball I'I. The ink will also flow laterally through the ports I9 into the auxiliary reservoir 26. The pen is then ready for use, and to mark or write the pen is manipulated in the same manner in which a pencil is operated, with the ball point I'I rolling along the writing surface. As the ball I1 rolls upon the writing surface, it continuously picks up ink and applies the ink to the surface. As the ink is used, it is replaced', by air which enters the reservoir 28 through the one-way valve 38. Since the ball II closely fits the socket I6, the possibility of the relatively thick ink leaking from the tip is entirely avoided. When the writing is completed and it is desired to store the pen in a pocket, the cap member 35 may be reapplied over the tip end of the pen andthe entire assembly inverted to be slid into the pocket, with the clip 31 engaging the rim of the pocketl to retain the pen therein.

When the pen is carried in the inverted position, shown in Fig. 2, the ink has the tendency to flow from the tip through the bores I8 andV 24 to return to the reservoir 28. However, the ink contained in the auxiliary reservoir 26 is trapped therein and thus retained at a point in" close proximity to the tip of the pen. It is apparent, therefore, that when the pen is later reapplied to use by turning it to the position shown in Fig. 1, the ink contained in the auxiliary reservoir 28 will immediately flow through the ports' I9 and into the bore I8 to contact the ball point I'I, so that an adequate supply of ink is always available for writing even though the pen hasbeen held in inverted position over a long periodv of time.

While the tip end of the pen has been herein described as comprising two parts, namely, the intermediate member I0 andthe tip member I5,

it will be apparent that the tip may be made as a unitary structure, the two-part construction shown in Figs. l and 2v permittingthe' use of separate metal and plastic members.

Referring now toFigs. 3 and 4, a slightly modi'- ed form of fountain pen is illustrated, said pen comprising a shell 45, tip member 46, conduit member'AI, and reservoir member 48.y In this alternating form of pen, the intermediate'mem-1 bei` is dispensed with and' the annular space 50,' occurring between the reduced en'd 5I4 of the conduit member 4T and' the counterbore 52 ofthe tip member 46, is utilized as an auxiliary reservoir which functions to retain an auxiliary supply of ink closely adjacent the tip of the pen in readiness to immediately supply theball 53 with ink when the' pen is held in writing position, the ink flowing into and from the reservoir 50 through holes 54 in thel conduit member 41. A

tube 55 is attached to the inner end'ofv the con# Ink used during the writing in the pen under the influence of gravity and yet is too thick to escape around the ball point, thus insuring against leakage. As a particular feature of improvement, the present improved pen is provided with an auxiliary reservoir arranged in close proximity to the tip and adapted to retain a supply of ink when the pen is inverted from writing position. Through this provision, a supply of ink will be immediately available when the pen is applied to use after having been stored in inverted position in a pocket of the user. Since the ink is comparatively free dowing, the need for ink-feeding mechanism is eliminated. The pen is thus made simpler in construction, lighter in weight, and less expensive to manufacture. The improved pen may contain a supply of ink which will last over a period of several months under ordinary use, and when the supply is exhausted it may be replenished by merely inserting a fresh cartridge of ink.

While the improved fountain pen has been herein shown and described as embodied in two preferred forms of construction, by way of example, it is to be understood that other modifications may be made in the structure Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect,

I claim:

l. A fountain pen, comprising: a reservoir means having a main reservoir, adapted to con tain a supply of free ilowing ink, and a writing point at one end communicating through a passage in said means with the reservoir, said means having an auxiliary reservoir located relatively near the writing point and also having a restricted port connecting the auxiliary reservoir with the passage, said ink being adapted to ilow from said main reservoir through the passage to the writing point and also into said auxiliary reservoir when the pen is in a writing position, said auxiliary reservoir, when the pen is inverted from a writing position, providing an ink-retainn ing pocket relatively near the writing point and below the port, said auxiliary reservoir serving immediately to supply ink to said point when the pen is in a writing position.

2. A fountain pen, comprising: a reservoir member having a main reservoir adapted to contain a supply of free owing ink, and a tip connected to the reservoir member and provided with a longitudinal extension with a passage therethrough, said tip also having a writing point at one end communicating with said passage and provided with an annular space surrounding said extension and constituting an auxiliary reservoir, said extension being provided with a port in its wall connecting said passage with said auxiliary reservoir, said reservoir member having a conduit connecting the main reservoir with the passage of said extension, said ink being adapted to flow from said main reservoir through the conduit and passage to the writing point and also into said auxiliary reservoir when the pen is in a writing position, said auxiliary reservoir, when the pen is inverted from a writing position, providing an ink-retaining pocket relatively near the writing point and below the port, said auxil" lary reservoir serving immediately to supply ink to said point when the pen is in a writing position.

3. A fountain pen, comprising: a reservoir member having a main reservoir adapted to contain a Supply of ree flowing ink, and a tip connected to the reservoir member and provided with a bore and with a counterbore at its inner end, said tip also having a writing point in its outer end communicating with said bore, the reservoir member having a tube, one end connected to the main reservoir and the other end extending into said counterbore, the latter portion of the tube having a port connecting its interioi with said counterbore, the space between said exterior of said tube and the sides 0f the counterbore constituting an auxiliary reservoir, said ink being adapted to flow from said main reservoir through said tube to the writing point and also into said auxiliary reservoir when the pen is in a writing position, said auxiliary reservoir, when the pen is inverted from a writing position, providing an ink-retaining pocket relatively near the writing point and below the port, said auxiliary reservoir serving immediately to supply ink to said point when the pen is in a writing position.

4. A fountain pen, comprising: a reservoir member having a main reservoir adapted to contain a supply of free flowing ink, and a tip connected to the main reservoir member and provided with a bore and having a writing point in its outer end communicating with said bore, said tip having walls defining an auxiliary reservoir, the reservoir member having a tube, one end of which is connected to the main reservoir and the other end of which extends into the auxiliary reservoir, said tube being provided with a port in its `wall connecting the interior thereof with the auxiliary reservoir, said ink being adapted to flow from said main reservoir through said tube to the writing point and also into said auxiliary reservoir when the pen is in a writing position, said auxiliary reservoir, when the pen is inverted from a writing position, providing an ink-retaining pocket relatively near the writing point and below the port, said auxiliary reservoir serving immediately to supply ink to said point when the pen is in a writing position.

JAMES V. DEARMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 392,046 Loud Oct. 30, 1888 634,013 Mitchell Oct. 3, 1899 748,383 Langill Dec. 29, 1903 1,426,200 Kovacs Aug. 15, 1922 1,574,281 Doyle Feb. 23, 1926 1,935,000 Vessey Nov. 14, 1933 2,138,650 Whitehouse Nov. 29, 1938 2,223,541 Baker Dec. 3, 1940 2,333,451 Sussman et al Nov. 2, 1943 2,390,636 Biro Dec. 11, 1945 

